The Biggest Play of His Life

One of the captains of the high school football team hadsomething big he wanted to tell the other players. "I was soanxious," remembers middle linebacker Corey Johnson, a senior atMasconomet High in Topsfield, Mass., "I thought I was going tovomit."

He took a hard gulp. "I want to let all of you guys knowsomething about me." He tried not to let his voice quake. "I'mcoming out as an openly gay student here."

His teammates' eyes and mouths went wide as soup plates. "I hopethis won't change anything," Corey quickly went on. "I didn'tcome on to you last year in the locker room, and I won't thisyear. I didn't touch you last year in the locker room, and Iwon't this year."

And you know what happened? They laughed! But that's not the bestpart. The best part is what happened next. Nothing.

Corey's teammates had no problem with his sexual orientation. Hiscoach had no problem with it. His mom and dad and his sister hadno problem with it. His teachers, his counselor--nobody--had aproblem with it.

O.K., somebody scrawled FOOTBALL FAG on a door at school. True,one cementhead parent asked coach Jim Pugh to have the team takea new vote on the captaincy, but Pugh told him to stuff it. And,yeah, one week the opposing team's captain kept hollering, "Getthe fag!" but his coach finally benched him (and Masconometfricasseed that team 25-0).

No opponent refused to play against Corey. No opposing coachsaid, "Boys, the Lord wants you to go out and crush thatheathen!" Nobody held up a sign at a Masconomet game that readWHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON, COREY? Nope. Corey Johnson,guard-linebacker, wrestler, lacrosse player, just went out andplayed his senior football season, same as ever. Masconomet didwell (7-4 for the season, 25-8 with Corey, a two-way starter forthree years). Now Corey is getting on with his life, hopeful asever. He'll graduate with his class next month, think aboutplaying small-college football and become a gay activist, ajourney that began on Sunday at the Millennium March onWashington for Equality.

Can't wait for Corey to be on a gay parade float when somebeer-bellied yahoo hollers, "Hey, girls! Shoe sale next corner!"The football captain might turn the poor schmo into a smudgemark.

Corey can take the hits now, but hiding the truth about himselfwas so depressing in his sophomore and junior years that he lethis grades drop, skipped practice and even skipped school. Whenan adult friend started ripping homosexuals at a Super Bowlparty in January 1998, Corey couldn't decide whether to punchhim or cry. He knew he had to do something.

First, he told a guidance counselor he was gay and then a fewteachers. They all supported him. A year later he told hisparents. Fine. Then his best friend, Sean. Uh-oh. Big problem.Sean started crying. Corey asked him what was wrong. "I'm sorryyou couldn't share this with me before," Sean said. They'restill best friends.

Since coming out, Corey says, he has heard from "hundreds" onthe Internet, including athletes who wish they had the guts tocome out too. "But," says Corey, "they always say, 'At myschool? No way. It'd be impossible.'"

At Masconomet, a public school with an enrollment of 1,300,Corey is the football captain who had even more moral couragethan physical. He's admired by his teammates. In fact, nothingmuch changed between them, except on bus rides home after wins,when the whole team sang YMCA together. Well, it isn't HunkerDown, You Hairy Bulldogs, but it works.

Maybe we're actually getting somewhere in the U.S. A young manwho leads young men comes out as gay, and it makes such a ruckusyou can still hear the crickets chirp. In fact, last month theBoston Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network handed itsVisionary Award not just to Corey, but also to his teammates.Can you imagine that? A high school football team getting anaward for tolerance?

When I was growing up, my best friend was a hilarious kid I'llcall Danny. Along about high school, he stopped coming around.Then, in college, he showed up in the Gay Club photo in theyearbook. After that, Danny didn't take my calls.

It's a lousy feeling. I guess I'm not the kind of person hecould've shared that with.

COLOR PHOTO: DANA FINEMAN/SYGMA

The football captain gulped hard and said to his teammates, "I'mcoming out as an openly gay student."